Pre-Dep Leave 2013

This Spring has been strange so far. First, the husband left for six weeks of training in February. I tried to keep myself busy so I hung out with friends, babysat, and had photo shoots. When he came home he worked like crazy for two weeks and then we got to go on pre-deployment leave. Which was great because we finally got to see the family in California again! 

We spent a few days on the river (in the desert, where the sun tans like crazy!) and hung out on the coast for a few days. Then my sweet husband decided he really wanted to bring his old surfboard with him to the East Coast (just in case you were wondering why we were wrapping it in bubble wrap) and then we were on our way home again. 

Also, my darling celebrated a very special Birthday in Cali! We treated ourselves to the best Thai food ever at Mangkut Thai in San Clemente after spending the day at the beach. 

Alrighty, Then - It's Time

And by "it's time" I mean it's time to end my blogging sabbatical and get back to regular posting! Over the next few days I will catch you up a bit on what I've been doing (vacations! deployment preparations! lots of new clothes!) but right now let's just say that I've been busy looking at this:

And this: 

And, most importantly, this:

Yup. We are about a week away from deployment and we're still doing good! Apart from the fact that my husband got bitten by a snake the other day (yes, I made him go to the ER when he started feeling woozy, and the doctors said he was fine) he seems excited to be going so that helps keep my spirits high. How could I be unhappy when I know my husband will finally get to do the job he loves so much? Not to mention it's inevitable so why fight it. I'm sure that I will be a wreck when he's gone but as of now I feel fine and ready.

Dana

On Strategic Clothes Shopping

I've been dragging my feet with my outfit posts lately, I know. The best reason I can offer you is this bug I caught last week that's making me stay at home in my pyjamas all day. Last night as I was getting ready to go to bed I actually started looking for my PJ's - all of the usual spots were empty as was the laundry bin - until I realized that I'd been wearing them all day. Let's just blame it on the fever, shall we?

But we can still talk clothes! I have been working on being really strict with what I buy and I've found that ordering my basics online is really helpful. Whenever I go into a store (TJ Maxx-style stores are the worst) I am so incredibly tempted to throw everything I am trying to accomplish out the window and just "shop for the pretty". Without a plan, I wander through the isles looking for anything that catches my eye, and if I like the way it looks on me, I buy it. While this approach can work at times, right now it actually hinders what I am trying to accomplish.

Am I overthinking clothes shopping here? I don't think so. With a limited budget (and trust me, I need to have a budget because I would be spending our retirement money on shoes if I didn't) and an end goal in mind, I really need to be strategic here. Sure, there is some wiggle room for impulse buys but not too much. So what exactly is my plan you're asking?

1. Stick to darker solids in flattering shapes for the bottom half. 
We're talking black and navy (and some tan) pants, skirts (mostly a-line), jeans and shorts. Don't get me wrong, I love a good printed pant, but mostly on other people. I wish I could pull it off but I can't and I refuse to buy something so unflattering (that's called progress, people!)

2. Add colorful, but well-fitting pieces on top.
I've got some cozy stripes, simple tanks, basic button-ups, and I am working on the finishing pieces (cardigans, etc). Those have actually been the hardest because for me, cardigans are notoriously difficult to shop for. Almost as bad as jeans. The stuff you find in most stores is just such poor quality (*ehm* Target and Old Navy *ehm*) or it doesn't fit well or it's too thin or it's too thick or too long or short or the wrong color. But I'm working on it.

3. Accessorize. 
Simple (mostly gold) bracelets, earrings, and some necklaces. A good accessory really takes an outfit from fine to put-together.

4. Find comfortable neutral shoes. 
One of the few things I don't order online - I like to try the shoe on before I purchase it. For this season, I'd like to find a nice neutral wedge, a good quality versatile sandal, and possibly a leopard heel.


My go-to place has been J.Crew Factory or the (virtual) J.Crew sales isle. Not only is their shipping fast, but returns are just as easy (slap a sticker on the same box your clothes came in and leave it in your mailbox). I also generally like their cuts and quality, and they have such good looking basics. Later on in my wardrobe building I will definitely venture out to other stores in order to add different styles and colors to what I wear, but right now it's so easy to buy my basics from one place.

Dana

Tuesday Love

I love this guy. 

Like, a lot. 

For him, it's God | {Our Marriage} | Country | Corps and it shows in how in love we are three years into it.

Thank you for standing up for us, always. 

D.